A six-week investigation involving five local law enforcement agencies led to the breakup in rural Woodward Friday of a meth-making operation and the arrest of two suspects on a raft of felony drug charges.
Curtis Wesley Jurgensen, 55, and Sheryl Kay Palmer, 59, both of rural Woodward, have been charged with conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, three counts of possession of methamphetamine precursors, possession of a Schedule III controlled substance with intent to deliver, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, two counts of failure to affix a drug tax stamp and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Palmer was also charged with possession of methamphetamine.
The investigation leading to Friday’s arrests began the night of Jan. 18, when Jurgensen and Palmer fled the scene of an incident involving a handgun in Jamaica. They were reported to be going to Perry, and the Guthrie County Sheriff’s office enlisted the assistance of the Perry Police Department in seeking the pair.
The initial search for the suspects was unsuccessful, but further investigation by an officer of the Perry Police Department Officer uncovered Jurgensen and Palmer at 2963 Kading Road in Perry. They were peacefully taken into custody there by the Guthrie County Sheriff’s office, and each was charged with first-degree harassment and first-offense domestic abuse assault-display or use of a weapon.
The investigation produced a probable cause for a search of the residence, and the Perry Police Department, assisted by the Woodward Police Department, executed a search warrant Jan. 28.
The search uncovered a large cache of drugs and drug-making materials, including methamphetamine and chemicals to manufacture meth — anhydrous ammonia, ammonium chloride and pseudoephedrine — along with several dosage units of a prescription Schedule III controlled substance, marijuana, scales, packaging materials and drug pipes.
As a result of the search, arrest warrants were filed for Jurgensen and Palmer, and they were arrested March 1 by the Boone County Sheriff’s office at their home in rural Woodward.
The suspects were released to the Perry Police Department, and each is currently being held in the Dallas County Jail on a $25,300 bond. They are scheduled to have an initial appearance before a Dallas County Magistrate Saturday.
“This case marks the third felony drug case which the Perry Police Department has investigated and filed charges in so far this year,” said Perry Police Department Sgt. Matt Aswegan. “The Perry Police Department will continue to aggressively pursue drug dealers in order to help keep the community safe.”
The Perry Police Department was assisted in the investigation by the Guthrie County Sheriff’s office, Dallas County Sheriff’s office, Dallas County Attorney’s office, Boone County Sheriff’s office and Woodward Police Department.
*A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Maybe these law enforcement people could make a run up to Greene County and teach them how to make busts like this happen there.
BUILD THAT WALL! Oh, wait.